Chief Executive Carrie Lam today expressed deep sorrow over the death of the Airport Authority’s first Chairman Wong Po-yan.

Mr Wong was a successful entrepreneur who was committed to promoting the advancement of the plastics industry in Hong Kong in earlier years and made significant contributions to the economic development of the city, Mrs Lam said.

“He loved the country and Hong Kong and had been taking an active part in public and community service for a long time.”

Mrs Lam noted that he was a member of the Legislative Council and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Basic Law Drafting Committee before Hong Kong's return to the motherland, and was later the Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR under the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and a Hong Kong Deputy to the National People's Congress.

“Renowned for his leadership, he was appointed as the first Chairman of the Airport Authority Hong Kong, laying a solid foundation for the development of Hong Kong International Airport as the global aviation hub that it is today. He was awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal in 1998.

"I am saddened by the passing of Mr Wong. On behalf of the Hong Kong SAR Government, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to his family.”